An Alliance of Community Energy researchers has been formed to support research in our sector.

The community energy sector is relatively under-examined in formal academic research. This initiative creates a forum that enables community energy researchers to identify and communicate with each other and promote greater collaboration.

It will help to strengthen the density and quality of community energy research. A networked research community also has the potential to support stronger applications for research funding, thereby increasing the number of successful applications and enlarging the evidence base that informs community energy practices and policies.

At this early stage, likely member organisations include:

Australian-German Climate Energy College, University of Melbourne

Centre for Law, Markets and Regulation, University of New South Wales

Community Power Agency

European Union Centre for Shared Complex Challenges, University of Melbourne

Hepburn Wind

Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney

This list will expand as new members join.

The initiative emerged from a research roundtable held at the 2017 Community Energy Congress. Søren Hermansen and Tetsunari Iida are keen to establish an international alliance of community energy researchers and practitioners. By building a national network, Australia will have the infrastructure to engage with or become a member of an international alliance.